My sons school are pushing him out

[Holly03]

My son has additional needs and his school have been pushing for him to be moved to a new school as we have just moved house (the last one was full of damp and mould) and we have struggled with transport. The one journey to school takes an hour and ten minutes then a further 30 minutes after for me to do the nursery run and then back again after dinner. This has been really hard for my son as he has even fallen asleep in assembly due to being so tired and struggling with sleep. We need to be out of the house by 7. 30am to make it on time to school. His attendance has dropped to 72 percent due to this and I’ve applied for school transport but because his ehcp has not been put in yet(school we’re holding off until the autumn term) we won’t get school transport. There are no school places in our area so I’m at a loss as to what to do

That's £50 a week what would she be sacrificing. The best option is she gets the council to pay for taxi's or she tries to get him in a closer school. I don't think removing him is a good option she needs that plan put in place.

Tbh if they can afford the bus they probably afford a taxi.

Getting the bus is far cheaper than a taxi. She can buy weekly tickets for under £15 each for the two of them. If she works she hasn't stated whether she does or not getting a bus pass is more logical and cheaper in the long run.

She shouldn't have to pay for a taxi if she is on low income the council should step up.

Why did you move so far away from the school?

How do you know what the bus costs? In my area you would be looking at over £20 per person for a week. In which case a taxi, at least in the morning, could well not be more expensive.

Have you spoken to the school transport at your LA?

Because she had to, it's explained in her posts.

If it's a ten minute drive, why not get a bike with a child-seat and a tag-along? Even if it's actually a fifteen minute drive at maxi chat, you're looking at less than ten miles, so maybe a 30 minute cycle if you're really unfit?

Much more sustainable than an hour and a half bus journey, surely? Failing that, you need to get the school onboard that you're very happy to move schools as soon as he gets a place at one nearer.

How far away is the school? It sounds like the local authority should be providing you with transport.

www.gov.uk/free-school-transport

Ask them and if not sorted in a week make formal complaints. I don't know the school aren't supporting you with this.

OP I am so sorry for the struggle you are having with school and the hard time you are getting on the thread. PP who are aghast at the journey time should see the length of journey some children with LA transport to specialist placements have to endure.

If there is no nearer school that can offer you a place just now, the school IS the nearest suitable school and the council have to provide transport. IPSEA have advice and template letters to make your case https://www.ipsea.org.uk/

Applying for his ehcp as soon as possible should be your next priority- IPSEA have template letters to help you do that too. You don’t have to wait.

Wishing you lots of luck.

Did you speed read my post?
2 days a week is £20. Not £50.
Of course getting council etc to pay and I myself have suggested other options like getting a lift but in the context of responsibility for a closer school 10 mins away is not too far. So she's unlikely to get anywhere on fair access grounds!

I speed-read on my phone. It looks as if you have speed read to the OP posted that it takes an hour and 10 minutes for her to get him to school. She has to leave at 7:30am and get on 2 buses to get him to school. I think the council have reasonable grounds to help that's a monster journey to make every morning.

I don't drive and a 10 minute car drive is a 40 minute walk at a steady pace. I do know people who have argued their case to the council and they have given in.

It takes the OP more than an hour only because she doesn't drive. Otherwise it's 10 minutes by car, which isn't very far. Has the OP said the school was 30 mins by car I think everyone would agree that it is, indeed a large distance and she is entitled to a priority school place somewhere closer.

As it stands she doesn't appear to be. She is already on all the waiting lists and has applied for an EHCP.

Of course, she can apply to the council etc and people have already suggested various things but while waiting for those to come through it looks like her only individual option is a taxi...

Taxis are costly but if I could get one I would. Between 7.30-9.30 and 2.30- 4pm it is impossible to get a taxi as the local authority have them for school transport which is why I’ve asked for help with school transport. I’ve been using buses which aren’t working realistically. I’ve no family to help and would love to drive but is not financially possible at the moment. I was hoping to try and book something with a taxi over the summer for the start of the new term but they have had all the contracts from the local authority so can’t offer school run times. It’s a nightmare every time it comes to the school run time for a taxi

If the school is only ten minutes by car then how far away is it? Even if it's a couple of miles would you not be quicker walking there?

Hi op , I was in a similar situation to you earlier this year . We had to move out of borough as we needed to move house and had no other choice . My sons school is 40 mins away by car and like you there are no schools closer to us with spaces.

when you say about his echp do you mean you have moved out of your borough and it needs updating to the new borough ?

When you have the ehcp then name a school local to you. Even if they don’t have space, they will have to take him as they are named, unless his needs are far too much for them to cope with

I had to book a taxi for my daughter she missed the school bus it was a nightmare booking a taxi. They weren't available until after the school run and I phoned every taxi company local to me. She had to wait and explain why she was late.

I’m so sorry op but we lived less than an hour away from the school for two years and it almost broke us. You need to change schools or house. I’m so sorry but your child falling asleep is a huge sign and not fair. It’s not fair on you either. Sorry and hugs

Do you live very rurally, op? A 10 minute car journey taking 1hr 10 mins sounds odd.

This. It's not fair to get him up at the crack of dawn and out the house by 7.30. He must be exhausted. Get a taxi for him. It would only be one way if he went alone and asked someone at the school to meet him so you don't need to drive home again. Use his child's benefit.

The OP has already explained why she can't get a taxi!
It's the same in my area, it's impossible to get a taxi at school drop off/pick up times because they all have school contracts.

Would it be possible to walk all or part of the way? We also moved because we got a HA house further away, and my son's school is 40/45 minutes walk. It's a trek but I'd rather do that than catch two buses and it take more than an hour.

I don't understand why his attendance is so low - are you saying you're so late you don't take him in until after lunch? Even if he's late, he'll get a late mark not an absent mark.

Are the two buses actually quicker then? You say this is the only single bus option but presumably you have bus passes so it shouldn't cost more